Transplanting brain cells to treat severe epilepsy
Official title: Cortical Interneuron Transplantation to Treat Intractable Epilepsy
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-10782798 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring a new way to help people with hard-to-treat epilepsy by transplanting special brain cells into their brains, which might help reduce seizures and improve their daily lives.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 7, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $666,380 |
| NIH project number | 1UG3NS129630-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10782798 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals aged 21 and older who suffer from intractable epilepsy and have not found relief from anti-seizure medications.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose seizures are well-controlled with current anti-seizure medications may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a novel approach to treating intractable epilepsy by transplanting specialized brain cells called cortical interneurons into the brains of patients. The goal is to enhance the brain's ability to inhibit abnormal electrical activity that leads to seizures. By using human pluripotent stem cells to create these neurons, the study aims to overcome ethical concerns associated with fetal neuron use and ensure safe integration into the brain's circuitry. Patients participating in this research may receive these transplanted cells to potentially reduce their seizure frequency and improve their quality of life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a new therapeutic option for patients with epilepsy who do not respond to existing treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown promise in using cell transplantation for epilepsy treatment, indicating that this approach could be a viable option.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chung, Sangmi — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Chung, Sangmi
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Scaling Up Task-Shifted Epilepsy Care for Children in Africa
A study to help children with epilepsy in Africa get diagnosed and receive seizure care through trained community health workers.
-
Closed-loop control of interneuron timing to influence seizures and memory in epilepsy
A study tests a brain-quieting system that uses light to precisely time certain brain cells in epilepsy-prone mice to see if this can lessen seizures and improve memory.
-
Epilepsy Data Ecosystem: A Big-Data Sharing Platform for Better Care
A national effort to collect and share large, multi‑modal brain data from people with medication‑resistant epilepsy to speed discoveries and improve treatment options.
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Exploring epilepsy genes in zebrafish to understand human brain seizures
A study in zebrafish will model human epilepsy genes to help explain how certain brain mutations contribute to seizures.
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New MRI tools to better plan pediatric epilepsy surgery
A new MRI-based approach helps doctors decide the best time to surgically remove brain tissue in children with difficult-to-control seizures.
-
Sahel Epilepsy Study: finding patterns in epilepsy in rural Africa and its links to genes
A plan to study epilepsy in rural Nigeria to discover how common it is, what factors affect risk, and how genetics may influence it, with results that could improve care for people with epilepsy.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.